


The Child

by Burning Salamander Brother (totallyKatNep)



Series: The Polaris Sector [1]
Category: Homestuck, Warhammer 40.000
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-29
Updated: 2015-12-29
Packaged: 2018-04-30 08:22:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5156822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/totallyKatNep/pseuds/Burning%20Salamander%20Brother
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The habitation block may not be as deserted of human life as they were lead to believe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Child

**Author's Note:**

> This one is a small spin-off of the Polaris Sector main story line and fits in neatly in between --- and ---.

The habitation block looked out of place amongst the activity of war without its around a billion inhabitants bustling through the dark and narrow streets. All that remained of the inhabitants that lived there were decaying corpses, burned out hives with piles of bone and ash within and scattered possessions that had been stomped, burned and smashed. Mira shuddered against her will as she felt the heavy weight of the dead lying around the place. She looked around her but all was still, no children shouting and laughing, no adults calling and exchanging pleasantries while trying to control eager kids. No street marketers trying sell small and nice looking trinkets that, while looking fancy, served no function. There was nothing moving but the loose debris that the wind could shift or the movement of her Guardsmen and Titus around her. She moved the weight of her lasgun to better relieve the tension in her right arm. She let out a slight groan as the muscles that had been taught against the stock and trigger of her lasgun relaxed.

"Are you alright Mira?" Titus asked.

"I'm fine. Just relieving some cramp." She brushed it off.

A scuffling nearby caused her to tense once more. She spun to catch a Gretchen crouched over the remains of a household pet. Before the foul greenskin could notice her, she raised her lasgun and promptly blew off its head. The headless remains dropped like a rock with the cauterised stump where its head should have been falling in plain view. Despite seeing these things countless times before, Mira shivered again. The shot did not go unnoticed by her company and they swiftly raised their guns to counter an incoming threat. Though when none came, they relaxed a little and turned to the Leftenant and looked for her call.

"Gretchen." She spoke. "Where there is one, there are many. Be on your guard. Titus, have you got anything?"

The company went silent allowing the super human to listen for even the slightest of movement.

"Nothing Leftenant. We are alone."

The Guardsmen visibly relaxed against their wills but it was welcome.

"Alright, I want four teams. Jarex, take your men to the north west corner. Horley, you and your men are going to the north east corner. Coaxer, you've got south west."

"What about you ma'am?" Coaxer asked.

"Titus and myself will go to the south east."

"Alone ma'am?" He questioned.

"Don't worry Coaxer, you've got the busiest corner. We've got the quietest. We can't spare the troops for the quiet if you're going to need them."

"All right ma'am." Coaxer finished.

"We will reconvene here at 18:00 hours local time. Set watches and move out Guardsmen."  
The three squads moved in their separate directions.

"Are you sure about this Mira?" Titus asked when the Guardsmen were out of earshot.

"You're the equivalent of all of those Guardsmen put together. So I'm not worried about that."

"Not us, them."

"How do you think they'd feel if I sent you to basically baby sit them?" Mira asked. "They're Cadian Guardsmen. They will look after themselves. And I've sent them out in big enough groups they could out gun any orks they might encounter."

"I see. Are they likely to encounter large numbers of orks then?" Titus asked.

"Possibly. The information relayed by the recon Valkyries said that the most of the movement was in the south west of the block. Whether the orks are still there or not, we don't know. But there was a large Conscript garrison building there so it is more likely that orks went there for that stuff and stayed there."

“That is true. I apologise for doubting them.” Titus said.

“Don’t worry about it, Titus.” Dismissing the issue, “We have bigger things to worry about.” She said gesturing to the hab-spire that rose above them.

“We only need to enter each floor and you can hear anything there so we can move quickly and quietly.”

“Agreed Mira.” Titus said covering the door as the Lieutenant roughly shouldered the door in. He had to admit, she was stronger than she looked. Mira brought her gun up the second she was in and was sweeping the room in large arks with her flashlight but nothing but dust caught the beam.

“Clear?” She said quietly and looked to Titus for confirmation.

“Indeed.” Was his reply. The odd pair moved toward the large stairs that lead up to the levels above. They climbed each on and on each level they stopped and listened. Nothing other than rodents made any noise that the marine could hear and everything else was silent and still. By the 18th floor barely a quarter of the way up, Mira huffed and sighed after Titus called clear.

“Are you alright Mira?” Titus inquired. He was such a worrier.

“I’m fine Titus, just a little bogged down is all.” He turned to her.

“You are in perfect fitness, you could not be out of brea-“ but Mira cut him off.

“Not physically, mentally. This isn’t my first hab clear out.” She said trying to brush the matter off but she couldn’t. Titus was a worrier.

“This is your first clear out after an Ork invasion. I understand.” Titus said trying his super human best to comfort her.

“Do you though?” She asked somewhat riled up, “I’ve cleared eight hives in my career.” She straightened feeling proud, but could only sink further as she spoke her feelings, “The first three were a Necron invasion and they leave no bodies. Just ash and silence. The following three were Eldar where all of the bodies were killed neatly and almost with care, which would have been disturbing if not for the simple humanity of a quick painless death making it weight less on your consciousness. The last two where chaos.” She shivered as she recalled, “How all the bodies had been strung up and defiled, marked with symbols of heresy and the chaos gods but most of the bodies were gone. Just the ones who had resisted and they were few and far between. But this!” She passed her arms over the broken, twisted and bloody bodies, “This is-” she struggled for the work, “barbaric! Nothing but slow agonising pain etched on every face for all eighteen floors in children not even old enough to hold a gun let alone fight back.” She shook her head and her posture slouched as her head dropped to examine the body of a five year old on the floor at her feet.

“Mira.” Titus said softly. When she did not reply, he placed his gauntlet on her armoured shoulder as gently and a ceramite hulk can. She let out a heavy sigh before she raised her head and steeled her expression.

“Right. Enough. Move on marine.” She ordered all signs of the internal conflict hidden behind pure professionalism. Without question, as he had seen this many, many times, Titus moved on and climbed the stairs ahead of Mira. When he reached the top of the 20th floor he stopped again to sharpened himself and concentrated on the sounds. But there was something wrong. “Contact.” He whispered and Mira instantly tensed and assumed a defensive posture prepared for ambush. Titus tracked the sound in his head. First left, second right - There! Silently the pair reached the large doors to the communal eating hall for the 20th floor. The breathing he could hear was confusing him, small short breaths that were panicked and aware at first he though a large hab rat, but it was too big a sound and the breaths were too large. A small silent conversation happened then between the pair as they drew plans. Titus would enter first followed closely by Mira. Simple enough. She nodded for him to move. And move he did. So fast she barely saw him shoulder the doors in and sweep the room with his bolter. When Mira moved in behind his motionless figure, she shone her light over the room and there, caught right in the beam like a spike-rodent in the headlights of a hab glide, was a child. A human child, female, 10 years of age judging by her height and build. Mira shook her head and shut the thoughts down. This was a child. A live child. Right here. Before Mira could react, the child bolted for the far door and she would have made it if not for the in-human reaction and speed from Titus who caught the child before she could run.

“Titus!” Mira called a little late but still before he caught her. The girl froze the moment she heard the call.

“I have her.” Titus said sternly but without any weight behind it as not to scare the child more than she already was. It was then that Titus hearing picked something new up besides the three of them. Something above them. Before he could call, an Ork Gretchen dropped from the ceiling and landed on Mira’s head but before he could deal any damage with its crude dagger, Titus had brought up and fired his trusty bold pistol through the top half of its body but the weight of the falling legs still brought Mira down and as she stood the room began to flood with the devils that had clearly heard Mira’s call from a few floors up and had decided to investigate. Titus dropped the girl in favour of his bolter which barked loud and bright as he mowed down the filth. Mira stood and fired but took few with her shots as the majority fell to the rapid fire explosive bolts. After only five seconds of firing, Titus went to reload his gun only to find that no Gretchen remained. He turned to Mira, who had turned to him, who had turned to see that the girl had run. The two set off without a word and with Titus following his hearing, they tracked the girl through the hive stem. A shrill cry sped their runs as they raced down a long corridor. Titus practically slid to halt outside a small hab room and quickly raised his gun but he had no shot. The Gretchen was between the girl and him, if he fired, he would likely kill her too. Mira, wasted no time and charged the thing with a dagger and before it could turn to counter, her dagger had pierced the back of its skull and severed the spinal column just above the neck. Even for an ork, that was certain death. With that gruesome task complete, Mira threw the corpse from the girl’s body and checked the girl for injuries. But as Mira approached the girl, she simply threw herself at the unprepared guardswoman who, if wasn’t for Titus supporting her back, would have fallen flat on her backside. The crying was instantaneous and the girl wept like Mira had never heard. Mira simply stood there supporting the weight (that was practically nothing) of a 10 year old hab daughter who was clinging to her like a mother and weeping like a new born baby.  
It was at this thought that something clicked inside Mira, some hidden instinct that she could only place as a maternal one. Or was paternal? She didn’t know, never being a mother herself. But something about this felt natural.  
Titus was utterly confused but his confusion only deepened as the professional Lieutenant suddenly started making calming and reassuring sounds while rubbing the girls back. Titus’ eyebrow was at its limit but the glare that Mira gave him silenced any questions before he could utter them. Instead, all he got was a ‘we need to leave’ look that Titus could not agree more with. Despite Mira’s accusation, he did feel the weight of the dead more so than she could because he could hear it. Like a niggling voice in the back of his mind telling him that there was nothing here. No life. Without heartbeats like Mira’s or the child’s, a job like this on his own would be a test of his will power to not succumb to the depression of the place. His thoughts were interrupted when somehow, during his mussing; he had reached a heavy pair of ceramite coated plas-crete door. He turns back to see Mira holding the hand of the wide eyed girl that she must have let walk as she could not have carried her down 40 flights of stairs. Either way, he had to open these doors.  
Placing his hands against the right hand door, he put his whole might into the door. Doors like these were locked in the event of outbreak and the mechanisms that held them were not to be overcome by mortals or orks or anything else for that matter. Fortunately, Titus was no mortal or ork and with one heavy grunt, he felt and heard the taxed locking mechanism shatter inside the wall where the door attached. The light gasp from the girl informed him that she had seen these doors closed and had been informed of their impenetrable nature and now she had watched him shatter the lock. He heaved behind the door as, with a loud grinding, the door was forced open enough for the trio to exit the dark, death filled habitation spire. It didn’t go unnoticed by the warriors that girl’s eyes lingered on the spire as if saying farewell to the dead she had left behind be them family and friend. Mira’s grip on the child’s hand tightened and the child mirrored Mira’s action and gripped back. Something inside her swelled with a weird emotion. It filled her with a warm pride and brought a smile she couldn’t wipe from her face. After gentle consideration, she decided that she like the feeling.

About halfway through the walk back, Mira was shaken from her thoughts by a gentle tug at her arm. She looked down to see the girl was looking up at her, and asking something with her eyes.

“You’re tired, aren’t you.” She said in low gothic. The girl nodded and glanced at her barely clad feet before looking up at Mira and pleaded without words for a break a bit like a rookie on their first march. She smiled at the thought but dismissed it quickly to replace it with concern. She was, in all honesty, too tired to carry the child far and would only end up doing herself harm. Her mind lit up as a light-bulb went off inside her head.

“Titus.” She said.

“Yes Mira?” the marine replied.

“Can you carry the girl?” She asked. Titus looked doubtful.

“With the girl encumbering my arms I would be unable to effectively defend.” He said thoughtfully.

“Can’t she rest against your pauldron? In one arm?” Mira asked?

“It would be awkward for the child.” He said.

“Titus.” Mira said sternly. “You will carry the child. Or so help me if I have to order you.”  
Titus caved under that. He stepped over to the child who cowered behind Mira as he approached.

“Do not be afraid, child.” Titus said, “I am a son of the Emperor, and I have a duty to protect those under his light.” The child didn’t budge.

“It’s okay,” Mira comforted, “He may be made of metal, but he’s soft inside.” Titus’ eyebrow reached a new height record! The child looked at Titus’ face and he tried his best to look comforting. It worked apparently as the girl stepped out to meet him face to face.

“My name is Titus.” Titus said gently, “What might yours be?”

“I…” The girl started then stopped. “My… name?”

“Yes.” Titus said.

“Sofia.” Mira smiled. At least her name was nice. It seemed as though Titus liked it too as a small smile spread across his face.

“Would you like to rest your feet on my shoulders?” Titus asked. The girl simply nodded and Titus stood as he effortlessly lifted the thin framed girl by the waist to behind his head. It reminded Mira of a childhood antic growing up with her family. Her father used to carry her on his shoulders when she was tired after a trip to visit the family or her friends. The relation of the thoughts made her smile larger. When the girl had placed herself comfortably on Titus’ shoulder, she curled into herself against the top and front of his backpack and promptly fell sound asleep.

“Thank you Titus.” Mira said softly but the marine did not reply. When she did not say anything further Titus’ voice spoke out.

“Made of metal? Soft inside?” He questioned as they walked. Mira chuckled making the marine turn his head to question her further when she interrupted him.

“I was thinking of a way to disarm you to her. You forget sometimes that you are a big hulk of metal armour to those not smart enough to see you past it.” She said nonchalantly.

“And you can see past my armour?” He questioned. Mira blushed involuntarily.

“Well… I…” the words failed her, “I don’t know.” She said averting her eyes from Titus’ blue eyes.

“Why Mira did you stand by my side as the Inquisitor laid his threats upon me. Why would you try to stop me going with Inquisitor even knowing it would mean certain of a condemning of treachery?” He asked gently but there was a weight behind it.

“Titus, I’ve told you, it was my relief talking after a long and hopeless campaign that claimed too many good lives.” She said trying to dodge the question but one cannot simply dodge a question when it moves at the speed of an Astartes.

“Mira-” He begins.

“Okay!” she said loud enough to silence him but not enough to wake the girl or gather unwanted attention. “From the minute I first held a conversation with you, I thought you were different. Not like any other figure of power I had ever met. Most came with arrogance or a lack of care for those under them. But you cared. We asked a big task of you on Graia and for the sake of me and my men, you went out of your way to secure us our supplies and reinforcements. You showed concern to me and my guardsmen and even throwing yourself at a large group of warp daemons to save a handful of guardsmen. I guess that when you have had so many Commissars and careless Generals for leaders, you tend to latch onto good leaders when you get the chance and you don’t let them go. It was like that with my last Commander back on Graia.”

“I found a servo skull with a recording of that on Graia in your bunkers when we first met.” Titus said. “At the time I thought nothing of it but now as you tell me this, I understand it. It was not unheard of to have a Space Marine chapter or company take command of guard companies and employ them on campaigns.”

“Like the battle for Coldataralia.” Mira said.

“Indeed. I guess you were hoping that for the rest of the liberation of Graia, that I would be placed in command of the operations and thus you would have the space to care for your men as I would do the same in turn.” Mira would never admit it out loud, but Titus had just hit the nail on the head.

“Titus, I am telling you that when you first walked into my command bunker back on Graia and again here on Polaris, those have been the single most relieving times of career and that’s after being told that a large group of women and children had been uncovered on Graia.” _I also thought you looked rather dashing._ Mira thought to herself.

“Mira.” Titus said. She turned to look at him and his face was both confused and mortified? No. Surprised? Not it either.

“What?” She asked?

“Rather dashing, Lieutenant?” He asked with a humorous tone in his voice. Mira’s eyes widened at the implications of what he had just said.

“Did I say that out loud?” She asked.

“I dare say you did.” He replied.

“Well I suppose I meant it in a-”

“Mira.” He said quickly.

“Okay. I means exactly what it sounds like.” She said hanging her head.

“It is okay to have these kinds of thoughts; you’re a mature lady with-”

“But I’m a soldier damnit! I shouldn’t have these thoughts. There were plenty of good looking men in my regiment but I never thought about them that way.” She let out a frustrated sigh. “Trust me to be undone by an Astartes,” shaking her head she continued, “I’ve never had thoughts like these. Never. Not even before I enlisted.” Suddenly conscious of what that could mean to him, she stopped discussing her romantic life and went silent.

“Mira?” Titus asked. “You’re a little red in the face.”

“Titus. I don’t know what you got from that but this never leaves this company.” She said. “That’s an order.” Okay now it was official. She was flushed when she said it. She gave up hiding it from herself. She had romantic feelings for Titus.

“Mira, I could have gone back to Macragge to seek the Librarians to help me with this resistance of the warp. But instead I chose to find you knowing that you would not turn me in or away. Even if I had returned to Macragge, I would have been ridiculed and likely my brothers would not have welcomed me if I was already condoned as a heretic by the Inquisition. I knew that you would not turn me in because you knew I was not a traitor. And for that, I thank you.”

“I understand now Titus.”

“Sergeant Sidonous cared not for my ability because he knew I was no heretic. But Sidonous is dead by Chaos hand and I swore on his dead body that I would destroy Chaos.” He took a deep breath before sighing. “When the Inquisitor condoned me, I thought I was a dead man. Let my emotions run wild and amid all the pain I felt from the tests and the interrogations, I felt something anchoring me. When I was falling, it had been Sidonous’ voice consoling me for my actions. But it was not Sidonous. He is by the Emperor’s side. Instead it was the one person I could turn to. It was you, Mira. It was you who drove me to survive the Inquisitor and kill the traitors and commandeer that ship.*(1).

When Titus had finished his small speech, the words remained fresh in Mira’s mind. _It was you. He said it was you._ She told herself not to look into it too much. _But he isn’t a Captain anymore, isn’t bound by the Codex Astartes._

“Mira. You are speaking your thoughts again.” Titus reprimanded her. “And while I am no longer an Adeptus Astartes, I am still guided by the Codex. It is the underpinning knowledge that every Space Marine must live with. But I am sure I can give a little leeway Lieutenant.”

“Sorry.” She apologised by Titus waved her off.

“Do not worry, the feeling is mutual Lieutenant.” He said ending the conversation.

The two walked in silence the rest of the way to rendezvous point.

“Lieutenant Mira!” Coaxer’s call caught her off guard and she shook her head free of already forgotten thoughts.

“Yes Coaxer?” She replied.

“Lieutenant, the three other spires are secure and all ork resistances are neutralised. We’ve been waiting for an hour over the scheduled time ma’am. What took you?”

“We had a slight distraction.” Mira said and looked round to the Space Marine with the girl sleeping soundly on his shoulder by his head.

“Is that a child ma’am?” Coaxer asked.

“We found her alone in our spire. We did have some Gretchen activity which caused minor delays because they were attracted by the girl.”

“I’m sure it wasn’t anything you couldn’t handle.” Coaxer said as he turned to address his men.

“Any casualties Coaxer, Horley and Jarex?”

“I took eight casualties ma’am.” Coaxer answered.

“Five here lieutenant.” Horley called over.

“I took ten casualties ma’am.” Jarex said.

“Good. Only a few good men lost.” Mira sighed with relief.

“We did get a lot of supplies from the Conscript garrison Lieutenant.” Coaxer said gesturing to the crates stacked neatly to one side.

“Good work. We’ll need to get these back to camp. Split the crates up between four and take it turns to carry it. We’ll take regular brakes to stop us from tiring quickly.”

“Aye Lieutenant.” Coaxer said before he turned to Titus, “Do you want a hand there my lord?”

“She is of little hindrance to me. I will look after her for now though I appreciate you offer. You have those supplies to worry about; I would not want to burden yet another weight on you.”

“Fair enough my lord.”

“Lieutenant?” Horley said after a brief chat with his vox operator, “We’ve received work from Operator Captor that his mission was a success and the ork supply line has been cut.”

“Yes.” Mira breathed as a heavy weight lifted from her shoulders further, “Have they many wounded?”

“Aye,” He turned to the Operator who spoke quickly before a short pause.

“Seventy eight dead with forty three extra wounded on top.” That attack had cost them one hundred and twenty one good men with more than half definitely out of the running. Some may recover but those who had fallen were with the Emperor now. There was little they could do now than remember them and move on. The orks would not wait for them to grieve before they gave them hell.

“Inform Vantas that we have taken minor losses here and that we are returning to command. Tell him,” she paused, “tell him that he has our hopes for the wounded’s recoveries. And that we will be back at 23:00 local time.” The operator relayed all that had been said directly to Captor who received it and passed it directly to second Lieutenant Vantas, who, as this very moment, was in the process of staunching a bullet wound on his thigh and chuckled at the words Mira had sent.

“Guardsmen, we have won a victory against the horde and we have shown them that the 203rd is here to stay. We will not be backing down to them. We are Cadian Guardsmen! We have never let our enemies dictate our survival and we will never let that happen. Now grab a supply crate between four and take shifts, the command may need our strength upon our return.”

“Hoorah!” Was the response from the gathered Guardsmen as the morale sky rocketed at the news that Vantas had pulled through. A gentle hum of chatter settled over the group as the Guardsmen relaxed into the walk that befell them. Mira fell in line with her Guardsmen next to Titus who still carried the child securely against his neck. To her surprise the girl had seemed to have had awakened as she had shifted into a position that had her arms wrapped around the super humans neck and her head resting beside his even as her legs had tucked themselves under her to brace her against the cold metal of his armour with blankets she must have been given keeping her insulated to the cold and Titus’ armour’s sharp edges. She looked so peaceful and the marine so indifferent despite the situation that she could not help herself but smile and release a small chuckle. He noticed of course but payed little attention to it and the pair lapsed into silence despite the conversation around them and few calls being shouted across ranks. Mira was inclined to quieten the shouts but since they had confirmed this area was ‘free’ of ork influence, she decided to let it be and let them boost their own morale.

“Mira.” Titus single word caught her mid stride and she nearly stumble. _Smooth._ She told herself.

“Yes Titus?” She enquired.

“What is it that you find worthy of a chuckle in my situation?” Titus asked.

She chuckled again. “It’s the way you look with her wrapped around you. An Angel of Death. An Angel of Rescue seems more fitting the scene here.” She said with a light humour.

“Be that as it may, I am still having mixed feelings towards this child,” Titus shrugged as much as he was able to without hitting the child with his massive shoulders, “I feel that this child will suffer more under the lack of parentage. An orphan like her will be handed off to the Adeptus Administratum and would be moved to where ever is best requiring of cheap labour. Or in the worst case, recruited into the Adeptus Sororitas.” Titus had thought these things and rightfully so as now they pressed at the front of Mira’s mind as she was unable to comprehend a way to save this girl from the roads that Titus had stated.

“What if we…” She trailed off as she dismissed the idea before it could form.

“Mira?” Titus questioned.

“Nothing. It was nothing. It wouldn’t work anyway.” She shrugged it off but she couldn’t hide the idea from herself entirely.

“Mira.” Titus the same way he had before she had confessed that maybe she liked him a little more than she should as a Guardswoman.

“Damn.” She said defeated. “I was going to suggest that I oversee her personal care and development.” She said with as much conviction as she could manage as stupid as that sounded.

“You wish to adopt the child?” Titus asked. How had he managed to see through her disguise?

“Well yes, in way, I suppose I do.” Mira said. “It would never work; the Guard does not simply allow this kind of thing. As you said, she would just be ejected to the nearest Administratum base and allowed safe passage to where ever they willed it or worse.” She sighed.

“It will work with all the other Guardsmen, until a commander gets here. Which is a few days from now.” Titus said. “With Sofia under your care the Guardsmen will not question it.”

Mira sighed. “We Guardsmen are all expendable in the eyes of high command and we all know it. Thousands can die by the day in some campaigns and they just bat an eyelid at the loss of life.” The few Guardsmen within hearing range turn to face her. “We all know that tomorrow we may dead and with little left behind. We quickly learn to appreciate the little things in life.” There was a general hum of agreement and a lot of nodding heads at Mira’s statement.

“You know, ma’am, back on Graia, when we pulled those children from the boiler and they went on to survive the Ork invasion, it was one of the single happiest times of that deployment. Not to mention having a commander that cared for her troops. Yeah, it the little things we appreciate all right. Ain’t that right boys?!” A louder chorus of woops and laughs echoed through the group confirming the answer was right. Mira blushed at the comment that had been made of her and how that had made the Guardsmen feel. Smiling, Titus chuckled and looked around at the dozing girl on his shoulder. He still couldn’t make his mind up about her. Something seemed, off. Shaking his head, he dismissed the thoughts.

“Settle down now lads,” Mira said hands raised as to quieten them, “We’re approaching command and there may still be Orks around. Never can be sure with the damn things.” The mood calmed but was no less happy. ‘Just a little more on the alert side’, Mira thought. It was times like this, surrounded by good men with sure fire aim, that she knew they stood the best chance. The men knew it too and she could see it in their faces. They weren’t afraid because they were with their friends and knew that they would have each other’s backs.

“Lieutenant!” A guardsman neat the front called. “Command is in sight.”

“Okay Guardsmen,” Mira started, “All those who are carrying supplies take them round to the loading bays and we can get them up into the store. Everyone else, take a rest and make sure your gear is clean and ready.” She needn’t have said that because all the Guardsmen had that in mind.

The march lasted another twenty minutes with another five being taken up with the logistics of moving all the supplies inside the fortress. Not to mention that Vantas’ unit was not far away and preparations for their arrival were underway so that the fortress was ready to receive the influx of both healthy and injured soldiers.

Within an hour, Vantas’ unit was home and the soldiers were dispersing into the various rooms and holdings of the fortress and at Vantas’ insistence, Mira was taking a break within her office which was a small room with little more than a bed, a desk and light but it was home.

Snapped from thoughts already forgotten, Mira looked upon the door as someone knocked.

“Enter.” She said simply.

The blue bulk of Captain Titus entered to doorway and Mira relaxed a little but noticed the girl, Sofia, was behind him. Seeing the Guardswoman, the girl squeezed her way around Titus and crashed into Mira. The reaction caught both warriors completely off balance and while Titus was testing the record for the highest eyebrow rise, Mira was trying to breath as Sofia wrapped her arms tightly around the woman.

“Sofia, where have you been?” Mira asked realising that since their return she had not seen her.

When the girl didn’t answer, Titus spoke up. “Amongst the activities upon our return I was so busy helping the Guardsmen move things that I completely forgot that she was still resting on my shoulders.” Titus said. “Sofia requested that she be brought to you when she woke.”

“Thank you Titus.” Mira said quietly, rubbing the child’s back comfortingly.

A light grumbling sound brought the room quiet as Mira scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. When Sofia tugged at Mira’s sleeve it became evident that the girl was hungry having rarely eaten anything over the course of the invasion.

“Are you hungry Sofia?” Mira questioned and Sofia nodded shyly.

“Titus if you would accompany us, we will get some food for Sofia here.”

“Of course Lieutenant.” Titus said leaving the room to allow the pair to leave past him before walking slow behind them.

The mess wasn’t busy but the few who were there were surprised at the company Titus and Mira had but paid it no head as they greeted to two before offering a greeting at the child but when Sofia hid behind Mira’s legs they laughed and winked at the Lieutenant before walking out or taking their seats at another table and laughing between themselves at other trivial things.

“Hey there kiddo.” A voice said behind Mira. Looking behind herself, Mira noticed that Lance Corporal Egbert was standing behind them flanked by Privates Leijon and Vox Operator Captor.

“Guardsmen.” Mira addressed them with a smile. She knew Vantas’ squad well and she knew that they were a close knit bunch. “We were just getting some food,” She stated, “Would you care to join us?” She offered.

“Yes ma’am.” Egbert grinned and crouched to face Sofia would was standing with wide eyes looking at them.

“And who might you be kiddo?” Egbert asked and he smiled warmly at her trying not to scare her.

“Sofia…” The girl said almost imperceptibly. Egbert smiled wider at the name. It was a goodn’ after all he thought to himself. Rising he gestured to an empty table where the group could sit.

“I’m going to grab food then sit if you don’t mind Egg.” Nepeta said nodding her head towards the catering hatch.

“Sure thing.” Egbert said as he shrugged.

“I’m with her.” Captor said as the pair made their way to the hatch.

The group sat and Mira stood to collect their ration packs for the evening.

“Lieutenant!” The chef called merrily, “What can I do for you?” He asked. Gerum was a chef before he was recruited and never did lose his old mind despite the training and the 203rd are lucky to have him as his voluntary work makes the ration pack that little bit more bearable.

“Four packs of the usual please Gerum.” Mira said gesturing at her bunch. Gerum raised an eyebrow as he looked over at the unorthodox group sitting at the table. With Titus nearly crushing the seat and the girl sitting small beside his bulk it made quite the sight.

“Is that a child I see before me?” He asked curious. Mira nodded.

“We found her in one of the habitation blocks on our clear out.”

“Poor kid,” He intoned, “Probably lost everything and probably really hungry.” He looked down at the four ration packs that he was about to pass to Mira when, to Mira’s surprise, he grabbed another and prepared that as well. Adding it to the four already there, he smiled warmly.

“Before you argue Lieutenant, it would do the boys better knowing that the ration pack is going to the child so that she isn’t going to die of malnourishment or starvation.”

“Thank you Gerum.” Mira replied totally relieved and still a little shocked that the stricter chef was giving her extras.

“Don’t think of it.” He smiled again before turning to the Guardsmen behind her.

Returning to her group, Mira set the packs on table and they disappeared quickly; even Titus didn’t hesitate to grab a pack. His suit had long run out of nourishment and resulted to eating with the Guardsmen rather than refuelling through the suit. _Even then,_ Mira thought, _he’s still human and has to eat at some point._

“The meal was eaten in silence and to Mira’s surprise Sofia had taken one mouthful of the pack before proceeding to jam the staff as fast as she could into her face to the point where Nepeta had intervened to stop her from getting indigestion from the filling meals. Mira gave Leijon a nod of thanks for her help and she had merely smiled as a ‘you’re welcome’.

With the meal finished, Egbert, Leijon and Captor left for sentry duty as Titus retreated to his quarters and Mira her office.

“Mira?” the small voice asked.

Surprised, she turned her head down to address her. “Yes Sofia?”

“M’tired.” Surprising, she had spent most of time asleep on Titus but she quested that long term deprivation when in the hab block was taking its toll on her small mind. As they continued toward Mira’s office Mira thought that she would have to rest on her bed as none of the other places she could would be safe for her. Not in a ‘harm or worse’ could befall her, more of the it was full of strangers and with mind taxed as hers it would her little good to be surrounded by that many people that quickly.

“It’s okay.” Mira offered as they reached the door. “You can sleep in here.”

Opening the door, Mira stepped in with Sofia just behind her. Showing her over to the bed, Mira watched as Sofia pulled herself onto the bed and before she really thought about what she was doing, Mira was pulling the blanket over the girl and tucking it in. _Strange_. Mira thought. _Why did I do that?_ She vaguely remembered her mother doing it to her when she was about this age. With Sofia drifting off, Mira sat herself behind the desk and considered the paper reports and supply status lists, etcetera etcetera, on the desk. She would deal with it later, she told herself. Leaning back against the seat she vaguely thought about going and joining Sofia for a small sleep. Dismissing it quickly, she pulled the rough sleeping pack from underneath the desk, a remnant of her times in open field with no shelter or sleeping surface. Spreading it on the floor, Mira slipped her armour of and stripped the thick material off leaving her in a simple body suit that was worn underneath the thick material and the armour. Sliding into the bag, she rested her head on the rough pillow beneath her head. Few thoughts drifted into her mind as she fell asleep. One thing that did drum up from out of nowhere was the conversation she had had with Titus on the walk back from the habitation spire.

_What would this mean for the two of us? One of us is a corrupted traitor and the other a harbourer of one. We would have a lot of explaining to do when high command catches up to use when we get reinforcements. And what of Sofia? Will she not get a life worth living after she has been snapped up by the Administratum? I sure as hell won’t let them send her to the manufactorum as a worker. But then what can I do? I’m a Lieutenant. I have little to no say in anything high command wants._

Sighing, Mira tried to shake the thoughts from her head so that she could rest but found herself directed back to Titus.

_He’s an Astartes. I’m a Guardswoman. It can’t happen. What have I done. He said that it was me that was anchoring him to reality and from giving up entirely. He also hadn’t denied his feelings for me nor had he squashed any of mine own for him._

It was at this moment that amid all the maelstrom of whirling thoughts and rogue feelings, Mira found solace in sleep and forgot the inner chaos that was her subconscious. But something new was burning in her chest. A new flame was burning anew. Stoked by the feelings for Titus and the care she felt over Sofia. Mira would find new energy in the morning.

**Author's Note:**

> HEH. I'm so cheesy. I mean seriously? Super human and Guardswoman? Naaaaaahhhhh! That shit's better left for non-canon people for me to mess around with. I wasn't going anywhere with it anyway... I promise...
> 
> *(1) Read A fic a will post in the not so distant future for a recounting of Titus' time abord Thrax's ship. I will the name of that fic in here when it is posted.


End file.
